Children of the Druids
by nantasyland
Summary: Set some time in season 4, shortly after the events in Episode 10, "A Herald of the New Age." Something evil has been stealing away the Druid children and only the powerful Emrys can save them. Merlin leaves Camelot to rescue the children when the Druids come to seek his help.
1. Chapter 1

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 1

It's barely dawn when a yawning Merlin trudges behind Gaius along the road to the tanner's home, carrying the medicine bag. The tanner had sent his son to fetch the physician to help his wife with her birthing. The tannery is located far outside the town walls, down river, away from other habitations. Merlin tries as best he can not to breathe through his nose, as the stench is overwhelming. Gaius doesn't seem to be bothered by it.

A small boy exits from the workshop attached to the house, carrying a large empty pot and sets it in a wheelbarrow with other similar pots and a large lidded barrel. The tanner, a burly man with short brown hair, leaves the house, and greets Gaius, "thank you for coming. She's getting close, I think."

He looks at the small boy hovering uncertainly near the wheelbarrow. "Where's your brother?" the man asks him. The boy points to the tannery. The tanner strides off, shouting "Ralf!" When a teenager appears in the doorway, the tanner continues, pointing to the wheelbarrow, "take these back to town and replace them where they belong. And take Willam with you."

"Is ma all right?" Ralf asks.

"Yes, yes, she's fine," the tanner says gruffly. "Off with you then." The two boys head out, walking in the direction of the main gate to Camelot.

The tanner leads Gaius and Merlin into the house and sits on the bed next to his wife who is clearly in labor, panting in pain. He takes her hand. "The physician is here, Greta," he says with tenderness.

Greta looks at him and lets out a yell as a pain overcomes her. He grimaces as she squeezes his hand.

Gaius sends the man off to fetch a bucket of fresh water, and takes the man's seat on the bed, placing a gentle hand on the woman's large belly.

"Where's the midwife?" Merlin. "Shouldn't she be here?"

The woman barely manages to grunt, "she's attending to the Apothecary's wife, whose baby's come early."

Gaius nods at this news. "We'll do what we can to help."

Merlin wets his neckerchief in the bowl of water nearby and dabs at the sweat on the woman's forehead, looking at Gaius in a panic. The woman screams as another pain builds. Her husband comes in at a run with the pail of water in his hands.

"Put some water up to boil," Gaius tells the husband, who obligingly fills the kettle over the cook-fire.

Gaius stands up and grabs a sliver of soap from the table and washes his hands in the bowl of water, gesturing to Merlin to do the same. "Now, Greta, I'm going to have to examine you. Is that all right?"

He moves to sit down at the end of the bed, looking up at her husband. Merlin takes the man's arm and says, "perhaps you'd best wait outside?"

The man looks around and swallows nervously. He leaves the room as Merlin returns to stand beside Gaius at the woman's bed.

"Okay, Merlin, here's what we need to do," Gaius says. Merlin looks as nervous as the father-to-be and nods uncertainly. The woman screams again. Merlin looks over to Gaius with panic in his eyes. "Breathe, Merlin," Gaius says.

xXx

Hours later Merlin is nearly dancing circles around Gaius with glee as they walk back to the citadel. "I delivered a baby!" he chortles joyfully.

"Yes, Merlin. You did. And you did well, my boy." Gaius smiles at Merlin's delight.

"Will she be all right, Gaius? The baby, I mean."

"Yes, I expect so. Their other children look hale enough."

"Yes, but that awful smell and all at the tannery can't be healthy." Merlin wrinkles his nose in recollection. "How do they stand it?"

"I imagine they're used to it by now," Gaius says. "It's the ingredients they use in the tanning process to cure the hides."

Merlin thinks for a moment, recalling the pots in the wheelbarrow that the tanner's sons were taking back to Camelot. He recognized them as pots that he's seen in discreet corners of the town, and which he has used himself when necessity arose. "Oh. . . . Ew. . . . Really?"

"Nothing should go to waste," Gaius says dryly.

As they pass through the main gate into the citadel, they see Aurelius approaching at a run. "Merlin! Gaius!" he pants. "I've been looking for you. The King needs you in the throne room right away."

Merlin's breath hitches. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Aurelius says. "We have visitors he wants you to see."

Merlin and Gaius exchange puzzled glances as they step up their speed to follow the squire through the courtyard.

When they enter the throne room, they see Arthur at the far end, pacing on the dais in front of his throne, hands clasped behind his back. The knights of Camelot have been assembled and stand along the sides of the room. All eyes are focused on the two Druids who stand calmly in the center, facing Arthur.

Merlin recognizes the taller of the two, a grey-haired man in a blue robe, as Iseldir, the Druid who had welcomed him in their encampment a year or so ago* when he had lost his way. Merlin had been disoriented and injured when the Druids found him in the Forest of Essetir after he had destroyed the swarm of evil created to destroy Camelot. He had lost all memory of who he was for a while, but the Druids recognized him as Emrys, even if he didn't at the time. He'll always be grateful to the Druids for the kindness they'd shown him before Arthur came and took him away back to Camelot. Iseldir has also sought him out to help, warning him about the trap at the Tomb of Ashkenar when they door was opened by the triskellion.

"_Emrys_," he hears Iseldir in his head. "_You're here."_

"Merlin," he hears Arthur say. "I see Aurelius found you."

"Yes, I'm here," Merlin says, stepping forward into the center of the long hall. "What is it you need?"

"_Your help, Emrys. Please_."

"Come over here," Arthur says with a gesture, indicating a spot near the dais facing the two Druids.

Merlin looks apprehensively back at Gaius, and walks the rest of the way down the room, with Gaius following, to where Arthur is now standing. "Yes, Sire?"

"All right, then." Arthur addresses the Druids. "He's here. Please speak freely."

Merlin turns to look at Iseldir, who smiles gently at him, and then at the other Druid, who starts to speak. "Thank you, Your Majesty. My name is Brieg, and this is Iseldir, one of our elders, whom I think you've met before." At Arthur's nod, Brieg continues. "Your servant Merlin spent some time among our people and knows something of our ways."

Merlin shifts uncomfortably. "_I'm sorry, Emrys. There was no other way to reach you_," Iseldir conveys.

"And we have learned that he has become a skilled physician," Brieg is saying. "We have need of his skills."

"_Mer_lin?" Arthur looks incredulous. Gaius lifts an eyebrow and Merlin glares at Arthur.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Brieg says. "Our need is urgent – a child who has broken his leg. Our healer is ill himself and cannot help."

"_Please, Emrys. Come with us. Only you can help_." Merlin senses the desperation in Iseldir's plea.

Merlin looks at Iseldir, and then at Arthur, back to Gaius, uncertain. He finally speaks up. "I will go."

"_Thank you, Emrys. We need you_." Merlin looks again at Iseldir and nods.

Arthur looks at Gaius, raising his eyebrows. Gaius says, "he's proven himself capable, Sire. Let him see if he can help. I can make do without his assistance for a day or so."

Arthur says, "well, I certainly won't miss his lazy insolent ways." He turns to the Druid who was speaking, "Merlin will go with Iseldir. You will stay here as our guest as surety for his safe return."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. That is acceptable," Brieg says.

Arthur nods. "Sir Lionel," he calls over his chamberlain. "Arrange a room for the night for our guests, and a meal. Iseldir will leave with Merlin at first light." The Druids bow in acknowledgement. Lionel gestures to the two Druids to follow him, and they leave the room.

"If there is nothing else?" Arthur looks around the room. "You may go."

The knights start to exit in an orderly fashion, Merlin and Gaius following.

"Merlin, come with me," Arthur commands as he steps from the dais and strides toward the side door. Merlin trails close behind.

Arthur heads down the corridor to the stairway leading to his chambers at a rapid pace. Merlin's long legs easily catch up to keep pace, and he's just a step behind. Arthur doesn't say a word, and Merlin's a bit reluctant to break the silence between them. Seeing the two Druids standing openly and evidently invited in the throne room in Camelot was a bit of a shock after all of the years that the Druids had been hunted and killed by King Uther. Arthur appears to be making good on his promise to the spirit of the Druid child that had possessed Elyan briefly a short while ago: his promise to treat the Druid people with the respect they deserved. But Arthur still doesn't look all that comfortable with welcoming them into the heart of Camelot.

"Arthur," Merlin starts to speak to Arthur's back, not exactly sure what he intends to say.

Arthur swings around to face him, stopping abruptly in his tracks, interrupting him. "Merlin, are you sure this is something you want to do?" Merlin stops just short of walking into Arthur.

"Yes, I think I need to." Merlin looks down at his boots, inspecting the scuffed toes. He cannot really explain this to Arthur, but Iseldir's silent plea sounded desperate. Arthur could hear only one of the conversations with the Druids taking place in the throne room. He has to go.

Arthur looks at Merlin's bent head. "What is it?" he asks.

Merlin picks his head up and tries to give a bright smile. "Nothing, Sire. They need help and Gaius will be busy, you know, with possible injuries at the tournament in the next few days. And you'll be so occupied with all your guests and the tournament that you won't even notice I'm gone."

"Not that you do much anyway."

"See? You'll be better off with George attending you – he's really good at polishing." Merlin grins. "Your armor will be sooo shiny!"

Arthur snorts, and starts walking again. "I want you to take someone with you."

Merlin doesn't think that it would be a good idea. "Erm . . why?" he stammers.

"You know, for protection."

"Arthur, the Druids are a peaceful people. I will be perfectly safe."

"A show of strength is important. Take one of the Orkney twins – Gareth or Gaheris: you pick, I never can tell them apart."

"No!" Merlin barks out. "Not them. Please."

Arthur looks at him oddly. "Why not?"

"Erm . . . I don't think they like me much." Merlin mumbles. He has a history with those two. He never told Arthur about the incident with the twins' false accusation of theft and his subsequent punishment for the crime. Although Arthur has his own reservations about the character of the two squires, he is still unaware of their deception.

Arthur sighs in exasperation. "This isn't a popularity contest, Merlin." At the stubborn set of Merlin's jaw, he relents, and says, "okay, Aurelius will go with you."

"Arthur, I don't need anyone. Sir Leon will need his squire for the tournament."

"Don't be an idiot, Merlin." They reach the door to Arthur's chambers. "Get my lunch, then go finish your chores, Merlin. You have lots to do before you can leave." Merlin bobs his head and starts to walk away down the hall. "And don't forget about the banquet tonight," Arthur says to his retreating back. "I need to give a speech." He gets a grin over a shoulder and a hand wave in response from Merlin.

* * *

><p>* AN: See "Emrys Lost" by Nantasyland for the story of Merlin's stay with the Druids.


	2. Chapter 2

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 2

Camelot is bustling, even more than usual, with the combatants and spectators who have gathered for the three-day sword fighting tournament due to start the next day. It's an annual event, and Arthur has been champion for years. However, this is the first tournament held since he was crowned King, and Arthur has reluctantly decided not to participate. His uncle Agravaine had argued long and hard to convince him that it would not be appropriate for the King to compete. Arthur recognizes the wisdom of this decision, but it still rankles. He will miss the thrill of the competition, of pitting his skills, honed since before he can remember, against those of the challengers. And winning, of course, always winning. But for now he has to content himself with seeing which of his knights will earn the mantle of champion in this year's contest.

At the banquet, he looks down the table at the assembled knights, courtiers and guests, thinking about what he is going to say in his welcoming toast. He really dislikes public speaking, preferring action to pretty speeches, even those Merlin writes for him. But wearing the crown brings additional responsibilities.

The gathering is a merry one, all feeling the anticipation of the tournament. He gestures at his wine glass, knowing that Merlin will be behind him, ready to serve. Merlin pours some wine into his goblet, setting the carafe on the table and steps back to leave room for Arthur to rise. Arthur takes a deep breath. He stands, goblet in hand and waits for silence.

He gets it immediately. He looks around the room as it quiets to make sure he has everyone's attention. When he has all eyes, he smiles and holds his goblet up. "Lords and Ladies, combatants and guests, welcome to Camelot's annual sword fighting tournament. Once again, we are proud to welcome the finest, most skilled swordsmen in the realm and neighboring kingdoms. Over the next three days, we all will witness and appreciate the skills of our ablest warriors as they compete for the prize – one thousand gold pieces!" He pauses. "I will not be competing this year . . . "

"So finally someone else can win!" one of the knights at the far end calls out to much laughter throughout the hall. Even Arthur manages a smile.

". . . but will be pleased to present the award to the next champion." He raises his goblet and takes a drink as all at the tables follow. "May the best man win!"

Merlin starts clapping to lead the applause, beaming with pride. All cheer the King. When Arthur sits, and the assemblage resumes eating and conversing, Arthur signals to Merlin to come over.

"Yes, Sire?" Merlin says, still smiling.

"Ask Sir Leon to attend me in my chambers immediately after the feast."

Merlin looks down the table at Leon who is deep in conversation with the chamberlain, Sir Lionel. "I think he's busy, Sire."

"Now, Merlin." Merlin nods at this and walks down to where Leon is seated and speaks to him briefly. Leon looks up and nods his assent to Arthur.

xXx

Later that evening, Merlin is kneeling at the hearth, building the fire for the night. Arthur is seated in his favorite chair with the fur throw, his back to the door to his chambers. He's relaxing after the feast, wearing only his red tunic after Merlin had helped him remove his armor and mail. The crown that he had worn at the celebration was tossed casually on the table nearby. He frowns as he reads a document that Lord Agravaine has just handed him.

"What is this, Uncle?" Arthur says to Agravaine, who is seated across from him. "Do you really think this levy is necessary?"

"Yes, Arthur. I reviewed the household accounts with Sir Lionel today. To continue to pay for the service staff you have in the castle, additional funds will be needed." Agravaine says. "Unless of course you would be willing to cut some superfluous servants."

He looks over at Merlin, still tending the fire. Arthur follows his gaze. Merlin, sensing their eyes on him, rises, and says to Arthur, "will that be all, Sire?"

"No, Merlin. I need you to stay. Make yourself useful until Sir Leon arrives."

Merlin busies himself with collecting the bits and pieces of Arthur's armor that had been scattered about earlier, and placing them on the chest near the door. George will take care of them tomorrow, to make sure it's all polished, gleaming and shiny. He retrieves Arthur's nightclothes from the wardrobe, laying them out on the bed. He's turning down the bed, when there is a knock on the door.

"I will consider your proposals, Uncle," Arthur says to Agravaine, by way of dismissal. "Good night."

Agravaine rises. "Good night, Arthur."

Merlin crosses the room and opens the door to admit Leon as Agravaine leaves the room.

"Ah, Sir Leon. Please come in." Arthur smiles at his first knight, who enters and bows his head. Leon moves into the room to stand across the table from Arthur, who gestures to him to take a seat. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Leon sits stiffly in the chair recently vacated by Agravaine. "Yes, my Lord. You have only to ask."

"I would like to borrow Aurelius for a few days to go with Merlin to the Druid encampment," Arthur says. "For protection."

"I don't need protection," Merlin mutters from the doorway. Arthur and Leon ignore him.

"But what about the tournament? Aurelius is my squire; I'll need his assistance."

"Right. Of course." Arthur leans back in his chair, twisting around to look at Merlin who is still standing near the door. "See, Merlin? Sir Leon needs his squire. You can take one of the Orkney twins." Merlin freezes in place.

"No!" Leon interjects a bit forcefully. "He can't."

Arthur turns his head back and gives Leon a good hard look. "Why not? Neither one works with any specific knight. They aren't really needed for the next few days."

Leon knows of the Orkney twins' deception* when they accused Merlin falsely in the theft of a knife a few years earlier and the price that Merlin paid. He hasn't the proof to bring his suspicions to Arthur, but still does not trust them with Merlin.

"I don't need anyone. I'll be perfectly fine," Merlin insists, walking toward Arthur at the table. Arthur and Leon still ignore him.

"You're right, Sire. Aurelius is a much better choice. Of course, he should go."

"All settled, then," Arthur says with satisfaction.

"I don't need protection," Merlin repeats, stepping forward to stand near Leon. "Aurelius should stay here."

"Leon, tell Aurelius to be ready to depart with Merlin and the Druid at first light." Arthur glares at Merlin, who is fidgeting at Leon's side. "Thank you, Leon. Have a good night."

Leon bows for Arthur, glances at Merlin, and leaves the room without another word.

"But, Arthur," Merlin starts to object again.

"Shut up, Merlin. You may go. You leave in the morning. With an escort."

* * *

><p>*AN: See "The Squires' Revenge" by Nantasyland for the back-story of Orkney brothers' history with Merlin.


	3. Chapter 3

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 3

At dawn, Aurelius is waiting in the courtyard near King Bruta's statue, holding the reins of three horses, when Merlin and Iseldir descend the steps. Merlin had found Iseldir's room and brought him down. He had wanted a quiet moment to talk to the Druid before they left, but hadn't anticipated Aurelius's efficiency.

"It is good to see you again, Iseldir," Merlin says as they walk down the stairs.

"And you, Emrys. I see you have found your home here again." Iseldir pauses. "Thank you for coming with me. Only you have the power to help us."

Merlin looks around to see if anyone overheard. "Not so sure about that. And please, just call me Merlin." They exit the castle, and start down the stairs.

Sensing Merlin's discomfort, Iseldir no longer speaks aloud. "_There is a powerful sorcerer who has threatened us. Only your magic is strong enough to defeat him_."

"_I won't be able to use magic. Not in front of the squire who is coming with me_." Merlin responds in kind, gesturing with his head to indicate the young man standing at the bottom of the steps.

"Merlin! There you are," Aurelius calls from the foot of the stairs as Merlin and Iseldir emerge from the building. "I've got our horses, ready to go." He looks up at the two men who appear to be walking together in silence.

"Aurelius, you really needn't come with me," Merlin says as he reaches the statue at the bottom of the steps. He takes one of the horses, and attaches his pack the back of the saddle, swinging his medicine bag to hang down on the side. "Wouldn't you rather stay here and watch the tournament?"

Iseldir silently looks from one to the other, as he takes the reins of the other horse from Aurelius's hands. He has no pack to affix, so he swiftly mounts the horse, ready to go.

"Well, yes. But I've orders to go with you." Aurelius tries not to sound too upset.

"It's not too far to the Forest of Essetir where we're going. We could walk it in a couple of hours." Merlin looks encouragingly at Aurelius, resigned that he will have to take him along. "So, you might make it back here tomorrow if all goes well with the injured child."

"That would be great. I really do want to see Sir Leon compete. He has a chance to win, seeing as how the King is not in the contest."

Despite his disappointment at not being able to squire for Sir Leon and watch him compete in the tournament, he is pleased to have been singled out by King Arthur for this mission. Granted, he's protecting a mere servant, but it's the King's servant. He's always liked Merlin, even though sharing the universally held opinion of his ineptitude. Merlin no doubt needs someone to watch out for him on this excursion, and Aurelius is determined to do his best at this task. He would be elated to earn the King's praise.

If he's honest with himself, he would admit some apprehension about venturing into the Druid camp, although Merlin seems to be comfortable with it all. The Druids are believed to practice magic. He wondered if they would use it in front of him and he really wasn't sure how he would react were it to happen. Aurelius grew up in Londinium, where magic was banned, as in Camelot. His father, Ambrosius, Uther's brother, shared Uther's dislike of magic, though did not pursue magic-users with the same fervor.

The fact that King Arthur actually permitted the Druids to enter Camelot freely, and to petition him personally, showed the extent to which Arthur had eased his father's prohibitions of magic, although it is still banned. Aurelius wasn't sure whether he would be comfortable with acceptance of magic. Maybe he could discuss this with Merlin quietly while they were away from Camelot; he might have some insight into King Arthur's thinking on the subject.

As the trio rides toward the Forest of Essetir, Aurelius finds the silence between the two other men a bit disconcerting, especially since Merlin ordinarily keeps up a steady chatter. He's noticed how the knights smirk every time the King says, "shut up, Merlin."

What Aurelius doesn't realize is that there an intense conversation taking place between Iseldir and Merlin, with Iseldir explaining to Merlin the true purpose of his trip and pleading with him for help.

Iseldir tells him, "_a slave trader named Jarl is in league with a powerful sorcerer."_

"_I've run into them before_," Merlin admits. "_The sorcerer's name is Malus. He is evil."_

"_Yes_," Iseldir thinks. "_They have kidnapped some of our children, to enchant and sell as slaves_."

"_Children!_" Merlin is aghast. In Merlin's last encounter with Jarl, Arthur had been enslaved* by Jarl and enchanted by Malus. To rescue him, Merlin had to buy him as a slave in order to be able to undo the enchantment that had been set on him. Arthur had suffered greatly as a result. That the slavers were targeting children was unpardonable.

_"We need your help, Emrys, to save our children_."

* * *

><p>* AN See "The Sorcerer's Slave" by Nantasyland for the back-story of Arthur's enslavement.


	4. Chapter 4

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 4

When they get to the Druid camp an hour later, Merlin sees that a child has indeed broken his leg. He enters the tent where the boy is resting, leaving Aurelius outside to wait for him among the Druids.

Merlin sits beside the cot where they young boy lies. "What's your name?"

"Dilon, Master Emrys."

"Please, not master. It's Merlin. Just Merlin." He smiles at the young boy. "I'm going to have to move your leg to examine it," he says.

He tells Iseldir that it does not appear to be infected, but that it will have to be set if it is to heal properly. He says to the boy, "this will hurt, Dilon. A lot. I'm sorry."

The boy nods hesitantly, looking from Merlin to Iseldir. "Where are his parents?" Merlin asks.

"His mother just stepped out," Iseldir says. "She should be right back."

"Right. Okay." Merlin turns, ready to step outside the tent. He says to Iseldir, "I'll need bandages, strips of cloth, something like that, and two even slats of wood, about this big." He gestures with his hands to indicate the size he wants.

"I will find it," Iseldir says, following Merlin out of the tent. He walks away quickly into the heart of the encampment.

Aurelius sees Merlin and jumps up from the tree stump he had been sitting on. "Merlin, how long will you be?"

"It'll be a while, Aurelius," Merlin says. "And I'll need to stay the night. After I take care of the boy, I will need to see their healer, and then wait to see how the boy fares by tomorrow."

At Aurelius's look of disappointment, Merlin adds, "you know, you don't have to stay here. You can go back to Camelot to watch the tournament."

"No, Merlin. I can't."

"Sure you can. It's only an hour's ride."

"No. Sir Leon told me that I was to escort you here and back home."

"Really, Aurelius, there is no need."

The boy's mother reaches the tent, walking quickly as Iseldir comes up holding bandages. "Is this the physician from Camelot?" she asks Iseldir. "_He looks awfully young,_" she adds in a quick thought.

"_He can hear you_," Iseldir tells her.

Merlin nods, smiling. "Yes," he says. "I am here to help."

As Merlin and Dilon's mother prepare to enter the tent, Merlin looks back at Iseldir, and shrugs with a smile.

Merlin lifts the flap of the tent and steps inside. He tells the boy's mother what he needs to do. "I will give him a potion for the pain, but it will still hurt. You will need to hold him still while I do this."

He looks to the mother for her agreement. At her nod, Merlin retrieves a small vial from his medicine bag. "Drink this, Dilon. It will help."

Merlin instructs the boy's mother and Iseldir how to hold the boy firmly against his moves. He pulls the leg and feels when the bones re-align and set in place. The child makes no sound other than a small grunt before he faints. Merlin splints the leg firmly between two flat pieces of wood, wrapping it with strips of cloth Iseldir had brought. He sits down on a small stool next to the boy's cot, and runs his hands just over the surface of Dilon's injured leg. His eyes glowing gold, he murmurs words of healing magic.

Merlin retrieves another two vials from his medicine bag, and gives them to Dilon's mother. "For tonight, to help him sleep, and for tomorrow for pain. He'll need to keep off his leg for several weeks. Oh, and he'll need a crutch or something to take the weight off his leg to help him walk." He speaks slowly and clearly to make sure she understands.

Finally she nods, and says, "thank you Master Emrys."

"Just Merlin, please," he says. "How was he injured?" Merlin asks the boy's mother.

She looks at Iseldir, who nods at her encouragingly. "He and two other boys and a girl had been out to gather firewood and berries for the camp the day before yesterday; they were set upon by the brigands working for the slave traders. Dilon was injured while trying to evade capture by the slave traders by climbing a tree. He fell, and they left him behind." The mother's voice is full of worry.

"You remember Shayna, don't you?" Iseldir asks.

"Yes, of course," Merlin says. "Oh no! Was she the girl taken? She was a beautiful child, her laughter the sound of music." Merlin recalls warmly his time with the Druids recovering from his encounter with the swarm of evil. They had healed him and welcomed him among them. Shayna had served him with kindness and gentleness - and more than a few giggles.

Iseldir nods, and Merlin shakes his head sadly to learn of her capture. "One more thing," Iseldir says, handing Merlin a scrap of parchment that he had withdrawn from a pocket in his robe. "This was found near where Dilon fell, pinned to a tree by an arrow."

Merlin opens the paper and sees one word written on it: 'EMRYS.' He looks up at Iseldir, fear written on his face as realization dawns. He gasps. "He wants me. He's taken these children to get to me."

"And it's not just our village, it's many of them. He is sending messages for you." Iseldir looks back at him with compassion on his face. "_Will you save our children, Emrys?"_

Merlin swallows hard and nods.

xXx

The first morning of the tournament had dawned bright and clear. Not long after Merlin and Aurelius left Camelot with the Druid man, the town awoke with movement and color as the inhabitants and guests made their way to the training field outside the walls where the stands for the spectators had been erected.

At the head of the procession of knights assembling to enter the tournament grounds, Arthur glances up at the flags snapping in the breeze. He smiles to see the excitement that the competition has generated. He glances back to make sure that all the contestants are lined up behind him. With a nod to Leon, just behind him, he strides forward into the arena, the knights following with a rainbow of cloaks billowing behind them as they march.

The men who are to compete form three rows facing Arthur who stands with his back to the center section of the stands. He waits for all to take their places and raises his hand to still the cheering of the crowd.

Arthur lifts his head and speaks so that all can hear. "Knights of the realm, it's a great honor to welcome you to the yearly sword fighting tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will put your bravery to the test and demonstrate your skills as warriors. Only one of you can have the honor of being crowned champion."

As he listens to himself speak, he can hear his father's voice. How many times had he stood among the competitors waiting eagerly for the tourney to commence? He remembers the early years, when everything seemed so bright and right and easy. Now all the certainties of his life are lost: his father dead, Morgana's betrayal when she turned against those who loved her, and Gwen gone, banished from Camelot after her infidelity with Lancelot. All now gone.

He looks at the knights standing at the ready before him, and he is seized with a feeling of sharp sudden grief. Just last year he stood among the competitors, his father still alive although broken by Morgana's treachery. A recently arrived Lord Agravaine gave the welcoming speech in Uther's stead. He wishes that his father were here still to preside over the contest, that everything could be as it once was. Not just because he's going to miss competing in the sword fighting, but because he misses all those who are gone from his life.

He allows himself this brief moment, lost in his reverie, until he notices that Leon is making a small gesture with his hand. Arthur interprets this circling motion as a 'get on with it already' warning. He gives the smallest of nods, and squares his shoulders. "Let the tournament begin!" he shouts.

He smiles at the knights and turns around in a swirl of red to make his way to the throne under the canopy at the front of the seats. The crowd cheers and waves their pennants in support of their favorites as the knights exit the field to allow the competition to start.


	5. Chapter 5

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 5

Merlin has agreed to seek out Malus to rescue the Druid children, somehow. But he has one more task to accomplish in this village. "Where is your healer?" he asks Iseldir, as he opens the flap to leave the tent.

"A meal first, then you can see to him," Iseldir says.

Aurelius is waiting outside, sitting near a tree several yards away.

"Are you done?" he asks as he jumps to his feet and strides over to Merlin.

"Yeah, for now," Merlin says. Iseldir follows Merlin out of the tent and motions to them to follow him.

xXx

At they are finishing their midday meal, two young Druid men, no older than Aurelius, approach them where they sit eating at a table under a tree. One asks Aurelius "are you a knight of Camelot?" Merlin looks up, amused.

"Um, no," Aurelius answers, suddenly shy. "Not yet. I'm just a squire."

"Can you shoot that cross bow?" The Druid gestures to the bow and bolts on the horse from Camelot tethered nearby.

"Of course. I've been training for years." This time Aurelius answers with a proud lift of his head. Merlin smiles to see it.

"Would you come hunting with us? We don't have such a weapon, and it would make the hunt so much easier if you could bring it."

"We have to bag some venison for dinner for the camp," another adds.

Aurelius looks over to Merlin for permission. Merlin says with a smile, "go. You needn't wait for me here. I need to tend to the healer and the boy. I'll be fine."

Aurelius grins, and retrieves his cross bow and quiver of bolts from his horse. "See you later, Merlin." Aurelius goes with the two young Druids to hunt for some food for the camp. He's glad to have something to occupy his time while waiting for Merlin to complete his tasks.

Merlin finishes eating, and turns to Iseldir. "Your healer? What's wrong?"

Iseldir looks at him and says, "he's in a bad way."

The two men walk to the healer's tent and step inside. The healer is lying on his cot, apparently deeply asleep, or unconscious. Merlin pulls over a stool and sits down next to him, putting his hand on the other man's forehead. He is burning up with a high fever, sweating heavily. "How long has he been like this?" Merlin asks. "What happened?"

"It started very suddenly," Iseldir says. "He started shivering with cold, and complained of a severe headache and pain in his shoulders and neck. He retreated to his tent and wouldn't allow anyone inside but me."

"That was wise," Merlin says, wetting a cloth in a nearby bowl of water to place on the man's head. "He should be isolated."

"He was exhausted, he said, and slept heavily. By nightfall, he was burning hot and sweating." Iseldir looks at Merlin. "He's been like this since."

Merlin wets the cloth again, to try to cool down the fever of the sick man. "Keep him cool, and give him as much to drink as you can." Iseldir nods. "It looks like the sweating sickness. He'll sleep a lot, but wake him to drink."

"Will he recover?" Iseldir asks.

"I don't know. He's held on this long. Most succumb fairly early on, so there's hope." Merlin starts to stand.

"Thank you," Iseldir says. He puts his hand on Merlin's shoulder. "Emrys."

Merlin halts his rise from the stool. "I have to go now, don't I?"

Iseldir nods. "Yes, while your young and eager escort is away."

"You arranged that, didn't you?"

"He would have insisted on going with you, wouldn't he?" Iseldir states honestly. "You will need to use your magic."

He leaves the healer's tent and Merlin gets up and follows. "He won't be pleased when he sees I've gone." Iseldir shrugs apologetically. "You know what will happen to your friend if I don't return?"

"Yes. He was ready to accept the risk. But you won't fail, Emrys."

Iseldir signals to a young man who was waiting nearby. "Young Micah will lead you to the next village so you can follow the trail back to the slaver and sorcerer who hold our children." Micah walks over and smiles shyly at Merlin.

The three walk over to Merlin's horse. Merlin takes the parchment that Iseldir had given him out of his jacket pocket and tries to shove it into his pack, still tied to the back of the horse's saddle. He mounts the horse, and Micah climbs up behind him. Neither notices that the parchment flutters out of Merlin's pack and falls to the ground.

xXx

Aurelius returns from hunting with the Druids flushed with pride at having bagged a stag with his cross bow, eager to tell Merlin. When he gets to the area in the village where their horses were tethered he sees that only his horse is there. He swivels his head, looking around in confusion. "Merlin?" he calls out.

He finds his way back to the tent where the boy with the broken leg was resting and pokes his head inside. "Have you seen Merlin?" he asks the woman sitting at the boy's side.

"You mean the young physician from Camelot?"

He bobs his head in response. "Yeah."

"I think he went to tend our healer."

Aurelius ducks back out of the tent and asks a Druid child where to find the healer's tent. She leads him to a blue tent in the center of the village. Aurelius crosses over to the tent. Just as he was about to look inside, Iseldir steps out. "Where's Merlin?" Aurelius demands.

"I knew you were back," Iseldir says. "Come with me." He starts to walk to a few tree stumps situated around a fire. "Sit down," he tells Aurelius, seating himself on one of the stumps.

"Where's Merlin?" Aurelius asks again, refusing to sit down.

"He's gone."

"What? What do you mean, gone?"

Iseldir smiles at Aurelius and says, "His talents were needed elsewhere."

"Where?" Aurelius sits heavily. He's failed. He was supposed to protect Merlin here among the Druids, and Merlin has taken off without telling him. He should have gone with him.

"He didn't need you with him," Iseldir assures Aurelius, who is startled that the Druid appears to have understood his thoughts. "He is on his way to a nearby Druid village to assist them. He will be back as soon as he is able."

Aurelius is at a loss what to do. He doesn't know if he should wait at the camp for Merlin to return, or go back to Camelot and tell Leon, Arthur, someone, what happened. Deciding it's probably best to get the bad news back home quickly, he gathers his cross bow and bolts, and readies his horse for the journey back to Camelot.

As he is tightening the girth around his horse, his eye catches something white on the ground nearby, where Merlin's horse had been tethered. He steps closer, and sees it is a scrap of parchment. He bends to pick it up, unfolds it, and stares in puzzlement at the single word written there: 'EMRYS.'

He pockets the scrap, mounts up and canters out of the camp to find the road back to Camelot.

xXx

It's full dark when Aurelius returns to Camelot. The guards recognize him when he approaches the gates and admit him into the castle courtyard. It's been a long, eventful day, and he is tired and hungry. He leaves his horse at the stables with Tyr Seward and shoulders his pack. He goes straight to the banquet hall, hoping that Sir Leon would still be at the feast after the contests of the first day of the sword-fighting tournament.

His luck holds, as he not only arrives in time to get something to eat, but sees that Sir Leon is still at the table. Aurelius walks the length of the room, nibbling on a piece of cheese, to reach him so he can speak to him. He is afraid to approach King Arthur on his own with the news he bears. He has to tell Arthur that Merlin had left the encampment in Essetir without his escort to travel to another Druid village.

"Sir Leon," he says quietly as he reaches out to touch the knight on his shoulder.

Leon turns around to look at him, surprised. "Aurelius, what are you doing back in Camelot so soon? You and Merlin were expected back tomorrow evening, at the earliest."

"Sir Leon, I must speak to the King. Merlin is gone."

"What?" Leon jumps up from the bench in alarm, startling those around him. Arthur looks up from his conversation with Agravaine at the commotion. Arthur stands and looks at Leon, giving him a signal to exit the banquet hall. Leon grabs Aurelius by the arm and propels him down the hall and out the door. Arthur strides down the length of the hall, trailed by Agravaine to make his way out of the room. He reaches Leon in the anteroom, standing with a very nervous Aurelius beside him.

"What is going on?" Arthur demands glaring at Aurelius. "Why have you returned so soon? And where is Merlin?"

"Your Majesty, I am sorry. I came back here as soon as I could. Merlin left the Druid camp."

"How is this possible? You were supposed to stay with him. Why did you let him go alone?"

"I went for a hunt with some Druid boys while Merlin was tending to the healer who was sick. Merlin said it was okay for me to go. He was gone when I got back. I came here right away to tell you."

Arthur takes a deep breath. "Where did he go?"

"The Druid Iseldir said that Merlin was needed at another village to help the people there. He promised that Merlin would be back as soon as he was able."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know Sire. Maybe it means a few days?" Aurelius looks nervously at the three men facing him. He reaches into his pocket to retrieve the scrap of parchment, holding it up for the others to see. "I found this on the ground near where our horses were tethered. It may provide a clue?"

Aurelius hands Arthur the scrap of parchment. He opens it and reads the word written there: 'EMRYS.'

"Emrys?" he reads. "That's a clue? What does it mean?" Arthur looks from Leon to Agravaine with a question in his eyes.

"I don't know, my Lord. I thought you might know," Aurelius stammers into the silence.

"Maybe it's a Druid village or someone's name?"

"Possibly, but what does it have to do with Merlin?" Arthur shakes his head.

Agravaine schools his features not to divulge that he is clearly startled at hearing the name. He knows what it means. He knows that Emrys is the one man that Morgana desperately wants to find and destroy. He clears his throat. "I'm sure Merlin can find his way home, Arthur."

"All right. We'll discuss this tomorrow in the council chambers," Arthur says. "And Leon, please invite our Druid guest to join us there."

Leon nods and says, "yes, Sire. I will have him brought to you."

Arthur looks down at the scrap of parchment in his hand and pockets it, glancing again at Aurelius, and strides off back into the banquet hall.


	6. Chapter 6

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 6

The young Druid boy, Micah, shares Merlin's mount and directs him to the next village, where he meets with the elders. Micah returns to his home, and Merlin is led to another village, then on to two more, each one sending a guide to the next. At each village, he spends time dealing with the sick and injured who need his help. All of the Druid villages have lost children to Jarl. Each time, they found a scrap of parchment pinned to a tree near where the children were taken. All had the same message: 'EMRYS.'

Eventually, after a few days of this step-by-step journey always heading east, he ends up near the coast in Anglia, far to the east, well beyond Essetir. The elders in this last village described an abandoned castle that they had heard of, perched on a cliff overlooking the eastern sea. This, they think, is where the children had been taken. Twice they had sent men to look for the castle to try to rescue the children. Both times, the men had been killed in the attempt, and their bodies left near the village with only a scrap of parchment pinned by an arrow. There was only one word written: 'EMRYS.'

After a meal with the Druid elders and a good night's rest, Merlin rides out of the last Druid village alone. There was no one to guide him on the last stage of this journey. The Druids aren't certain exactly where the castle is situated or even if the children were held there. No one had ever found it, and returned. Merlin now rides alone, heading east to the coast. The Druids had given him some vague directions to a peasant village where he might stop to make inquiries.

Merlin's not at all confident that the Druid's faith in his abilities is justified. He knows he is powerful, but fears his limits. He had defeated Nimueh on the Isle of the Blessed in an act of desperation that somehow called forth the power of the heavens to strike her dead. He had believed that she had killed Gaius, and his anger at that moment was manifested in the lightning he had summoned from the storm. He hadn't planned on killing her; he'd gone to the Isle with the intention of offering his own life in sacrifice for his mother's. Momentary rage drove him then, not a plan to destroy. He isn't sure now what he could do to help the Druids, of if he even has the power to defeat Malus and save the children. He only can move forward, knowing that he couldn't refuse their pleas for help. Malus was using the children to taunt him, to summon him to a confrontation, one that Merlin doesn't feel prepared to face.

He admits to himself that he is terrified. He rides on.

xXx

"Aurelius," Arthur says when he arrives in the council chambers with Leon the morning after Aurelius returned alone from the Druid camp in Essetir, "please find Gaius and ask him to attend me here."

Aurelius bows in assent and quickly leaves the room on his errand.

"Sire, the guards will bring the Druid here momentarily," Leon says. He takes a seat next to Agravaine, who is already seated at the chair next to the head of the table.

Arthur nods in acknowledgement. Arthur takes his seat at the head of the council table, dropping the papers he'd been holding onto the table near the inkwell. He picks up a quill, examines its point, and sets it back down on the table. "Leon, about Aurelius," he starts.

"Please, Sire. Don't be too hard on the boy. He came to tell us what happened as soon as he could. You know how stubborn and independent Merlin can be when he feels he has to do something."

Arthur smiles wryly. "Yeah, but . . ." He gives a small wave holding up his hand to stop further protests from Leon. "I will leave it with you to communicate with your squire the need to follow orders."

"Yes, Sire. I will see to it," Leon says.

The guards open the doors to the council room to admit Gaius. "Sire, you sent for me?" He enters the room and approaches Arthur at the head of the table. Arthur gestures to him to sit.

Aurelius trails Gaius into the room, and moves to stand next to and slightly behind Leon.

"Gaius," Arthur says, "you know that Merlin went to help the Druids yesterday." He pauses for Gaius's nod of acknowledgement. "I'm afraid that Merlin has gone off from their camp, and we don't know where he is."

"Merlin?" Gaius is taken aback. He speaks quickly to defend Merlin. "He would never run away, Sire. You know that. Something must have happened to make him leave."

"That's what I'm hoping to determine." Arthur reaches out to pat the old man's hand. "We'll do what we can to find him."

Arthur turns to look at Agravaine. "After this conversation, Uncle," he says, "I would like to speak to you and Sir Lionel about the household accounts and the levy you've proposed. I have some questions on the documents you left with me." He indicates the papers that he had dropped on the table.

"Yes, of course, Arthur," Agravaine says. "I'll have the guard fetch Sir Lionel." He rises and walks to the door to speak to the guard outside.

The doors to the council chambers open again, and two guards walk in holding Brieg by his arms. He makes no move to resist as they walk him the length of the room to stand in front of Arthur. Agravaine stays near the door.

Arthur studies Brieg, the Druid who was left behind, brought to speak to him in the council chambers. "What did you want of Merlin?" he asks.

"Your Majesty, as I told you, there was a child with a broken leg who needed a physician," Brieg answers calmly.

Arthur looks over at Aurelius, who indicates his confirmation with a nod.

"But there was more, wasn't there?" Arthur shows Brieg the parchment. "What does this mean? What does 'EMRYS' mean?"

Gaius is startled, and looks to the Druid to hear what he would say, fearful of what he might disclose.

Brieg says, "only Emrys can save our children."

"What do you mean? What happened to your children?"

Brieg doesn't give the complete story, as he now knows that Emrys's identity and powers are a secret in Camelot. But he tells the King about the slave trader and sorcerer who have kidnapped Druid children. And he tells him that at the site of each abduction, a parchment was found, all with the same message: 'EMRYS.'

"Who is Emrys?"

"Many know of Emrys, Your Majesty. He is powerful. He will save our children."

"Well, then. What does this have to do with my servant?"

"He is needed to bring Emrys."

"But why Merlin?"

"He is the only one who can find him."

"Merlin?" Arthur is puzzled. He shakes his head. "When will he be back?"

"When he is able." Brieg bows his head.

"When the tournament is over, we will speak again. If Merlin has not returned by then, you will help us search for him." Arthur stands, pushing his chair back, frustrated by the Druid's enigmatic answers. "Take him away," he says to the guards with a wave of his hand. Brieg is escorted from the council room.

"Leon, you and Aurelius may go to the tournament grounds to prepare for the competition today." They bow and leave the room.

Agravaine steps forward into the room to approach Arthur at the head of the table. He says, "surely, Arthur, this is a bit of an over reaction? After all, Merlin is just a servant."

"Yes, Uncle. But Merlin's my servant." Arthur leans forward on his hands flat on the table, his head down, staring unseeing at the papers strewn on the table.

"Ah, Sir Lionel is here," Agravaine says.

Arthur picks his head up, and with a resigned sigh, motions Lionel forward, taking his seat at the head of the table, spreading out the documents he had brought with him. Agravaine and Lionel sit nearby ready for the discussion.

"Gaius, please stay," Arthur says, rubbing his eyes. He picks up a page and hands it across the table to the old physician. "About Agravaine's proposed levy: I would like your thoughts on this matter. He proposes a new tax else we must trim the castle staff."

xXx

Later that day, Agravaine slips out of Camelot during the sword fight between Sir Percival and a knight from the Kingdom of Rheged. He takes a horse and rides through the postern gate near the kitchens at a gallop. After a short ride through the Darkling Wood, he arrives at Morgana's hut. He dismounts, and heads down the rough-hewn flight of stairs.

"Morgana!" he calls as he reaches the bottom. He strides over to the steps leading to the door to the cabin. "Morgana!"

"My Lord Agravaine," she says as she opens the door to stand in front of her small cottage. "You're missing the excitement of the Camelot Tournament. What brings you here today?"

"Emrys."

Morgana stills, scarcely breathing at hearing the name. Agravaine is gratified to see Morgana's reaction. He has her full attention.

"Where is he? Who is he?" She comes down the few steps from the front door to confront Agravaine.

"Ah. That I don't know. But I do know that Merlin has been sent by the Druids to find him."

"Why would the Druids seek Emrys?" she questions.

"They somehow believe that Emrys is the only one who can rescue the Druid children who have been kidnapped by a slave trader working with a powerful sorcerer."

"Ah, so Emrys is to be the savior of the children of the Druids." Morgana turns away and crosses her arms on her chest, deep in thought. She whirls back to face Agravaine. "The Druids must think he is very powerful to carry this out."

"It would seem so."

"But they don't know where Emrys is either?"

"Apparently not. The Druid said that only Merlin could find him."

"Merlin?" Morgana snorts in disbelief. "He couldn't find his way to the throne room without following Arthur there."

"Well, yes. True," Agravaine agrees with a laugh. "But the Druids think he can find him."

"So, all we have to do is find Merlin and we can find Emrys." She smiles. "Well, then. Go find Merlin."


	7. Chapter 7

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 7

The tournament is over, a winner declared, and the prize claimed. The contestants and guests have departed, and the normal pace of life settles on Camelot once again. Arthur is now able to focus on the affairs of the kingdom. On the second morning after the tournament ended, he is seated at the head of the council table, flanked by his chamberlain, Sir Lionel, as well as Gaius and Agravaine, discussing the proposed levy yet again. Finally, he broaches the one subject that is still on his mind.

"Merlin should have been back by now. Have you heard from him?" Arthur asks Gaius, drumming his fingers impatiently on the table.

Gaius says, "No, Sire. But the Druids are a peaceful people, and they would certainly have no cause to harm Merlin."

"Possibly, but what if some mishap has befallen him on the way?"

"Merlin can handle himself, and find his way home," Gaius answers.

"Have you not met Merlin? He can't cross the courtyard without tripping over his own two feet. Something has happened."

Agravaine snorts, and covers it with a cough at Arthur's glare. "Perhaps we should speak to the Druids," Agravaine suggests. "They might be able to tell us where to find this Emrys that Merlin is traveling to see."

"Yes, Uncle, you may be right." Arthur glances at the other men. "Sir Lionel," Arthur says. "Would you ask Sir Leon to bring the Druid here? And bring a map."

xXx

Brieg leads Arthur with Leon and a few knights on the short ride out to the Druid camp in the Forest of Essetir to speak to Iseldir. When Arthur spoke to Brieg in the council chambers earlier that day, the Druid was unable to provide any further information, but was willing to take them to the village.

As they ride up to the camp, Brieg reaches out silently with his mind to Iseldir, "_King Arthur is here to speak to you_."

Iseldir hears, and responds, "_what does he know?"_ He makes his way to the edge of the camp to greet Arthur.

"_Nothing._ _He has only the parchment_," Brieg conveys.

"_Does he know who Emrys is?"_ Iseldir questions.

"_No_. _He thinks that we've sent his servant to find Emrys_."

Iseldir smiles at this, and says, "you are welcome here again, King Arthur."

"Where is Merlin?" Arthur asks after he dismounts in front of Iseldir.

"His skills were needed at another village. One of our boys took him there safely." Iseldir folds his arms, his hands inside the sleeves of his robe, thinking, "_does he know about the children?"_

"_Yes. I told him_." Brieg nods as he replies silently to Iseldir's inquiry.

"Why hasn't he returned, then?" Arthur demands. "Who is this Emrys that he seeks?"

"You've seen the message from the slave trader, I imagine?" Iseldir asks Arthur. "Our children have been stolen from us by the slaver in league with a powerful sorcerer."

"Is that who this Emrys is?"

"No!" Iseldir shakes his head emphatically. "Emrys will save our children and defeat the sorcerer holding them."

"What makes you think that Merlin can find this Emrys?" Arthur paces in front of the horses bearing his knights. He's still puzzled.

"He can travel in the guise of a physician and ask questions. When Emrys rescues the children, Merlin can treat their injuries."

"It sounds like Merlin might need some help to locate Emrys. Can you show us the route that he took?"

Reluctantly, Iseldir agrees. Arthur unrolls the map that he brought. "Show me," he says.

xXx

Merlin sets up camp at night in a small clearing to the side of the road after a long day's ride heading due east from the last of the Druid villages. The trees had thinned the closer he got to the coast. He's not exactly sure where to find Jarl's slave compound on the coast it is, but he is following the inexact directions from the Druids.

He is filling his water skin when he senses movement nearby in the undergrowth. He uses his magic to capture and kill a rabbit, sending his thoughts to thank the Earth Mother for her gift, and the rabbit for its sacrifice for his dinner. He builds a small fire near the stream and takes out his pocketknife to skin the rabbit, preparing to skewer it to roast over the flames.

He hears a twig snap behind him, and reaches out with his magic to sense the area around him. He doesn't feel any threat, only the emotions of fear and desperation of a single individual.

"Are you hungry?" he asks. Without turning around, he adds, "you can put up your sword, I won't hurt you."

"What? How?" Holding a cloak and a sword, a teenaged girl steps into the firelight, and bows her head. "Please, milord. I haven't had anything to eat in days."

"Then, come in closer to the fire," Merlin says, "and have a seat. You can share my meal." The girl enters the circle of firelight and sits across from Merlin on the other side of the fire, holding her cloak in her lap. She sets the sword on the ground. "What's your name?" he asks.

"Sandrine, milord," she answers.

"I'm Merlin. And you can stop with the 'milord' stuff," he laughs. "I'm just a servant. Why are you here in the forest alone, Sandrine?"

"I'm trying to find my way back to my village. I escaped from him," she answers.

"Who?"

"The slave trader."

"Sandrine, can you show me where his hideout is?" Merlin asks hopefully, thankful for a guide to shorten his search. "I'm trying to rescue the children that he kidnapped."

"By yourself? Do you have weapons?" she looks around for a sword, something. Merlin shrugs and shows her his pocketknife that he keeps in his boot.

"Would you show me where the stronghold is? Once I know where I'm going, you need not go any further with me. Or after I'm done, I will help you find your way to safety."

xXx

"So, Agravaine, what news of Merlin?" Morgana offers him a cup of tea as he takes a seat in her cottage.

He takes a sip. "Arthur has gone to the Druid village to find his trail. I think he means to follow Merlin himself."

"Well. This is interesting news," she smiles. "The mighty Arthur will lead me to the great and powerful Emrys."

"You plan to follow him then?"

"Now that you failed to go with him, yes," she snaps.

"Arthur insisted I remain in Camelot as regent," Agravaine explains. "I had no choice." He sets his cup on the table between them.

"Let's hope your regency is a short one, then. I'll take the throne after I've dealt with Arthur and this Emrys."

"Morgana . . ," he says softly, reaching out for her hands. She interrupts him with a rough wave.

"Don't start again, Agravaine. Leave it be."

He sighs, and leans back in his chair. "The Druid village is in the Forest of Essetir, due east of Camelot."

She nods, smiling again. "I know where it is."


	8. Chapter 8

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 8

Micah joins Arthur and the knights and leads them to the next Druid village, bringing the King of Camelot to speak to the elder, who welcomes him to the encampment. As he makes the introduction, Micah also sends his thoughts to communicate with the elder, "_stall them_."

"Ah, yes," the elder says, "King Arthur, please stay with us. We would welcome you and your knights to join us for supper and to break your journey for the night."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Arthur says, feeling a bit uncomfortable about spending all that much time among the Druids, but having come this far down the path of acceptance and respect, he feels that it would be impolite to decline. He does, however, recognize that offering a meal to so many unexpected guests may prove a burden on his hosts. "Let a few of my men go hunting to bring additional meat to the table," he offers.

"That would be most appreciated, Your Majesty," the elder says graciously.

Arthur gestures to a few knights who have listened to this exchange to take their crossbows and head out. He takes out the parchment that he has carried with him. "Do you know what this means?" he asks the elder showing the paper that says 'EMRYS.'

"_He thinks his servant seeks Emrys, but knows not who he is_," Micah silently tells the elder.

"Yes. We have seen it as well. Emrys is on his way to save our children." He leads Arthur to a tent, and invites him inside.

"Yes, but how can Merlin find this Emrys?" Arthur and Leon follow the older man into the tent. "Where has Merlin gone?"

"Oh, I am sure that the young physician will find Emrys," the Druid says. "Only he can."

Arthur is impatient with the slow pace the Druids have set to lead him to find Merlin. At this rate, he doesn't think the Druids will get him there in time. Arthur unrolls the map again to set out his route. He'll go on his own with his knights from here. "Show me where he's going," he says to the elder.

xXx

The sun is very low on the horizon when Morgana rides into the Druid village in the Forest of Essetir, just east of Camelot. She'd had to take a long circuitous route around the city of Camelot itself from her cottage in the Darkling Woods to avoid detection by a Camelot patrol. She dismounts and tethers her horse to a tree at the edge of the camp. It's been many years since she first came to this village. At the time, she had been alarmed at the magic she felt awakening in her. At Merlin's suggestion, she sought out the Druids for help to understand what was happening. She felt he was her friend then, and was glad of his help. She was made to feel welcome in the village by Aglain, one of the elders here. She was delighted to see Mordred again then, relieved that Arthur had delivered him safely the year before. But Merlin ruined her contentment by crashing in himself uninvited and leading Arthur and his men straight to the camp. She was appalled by the carnage the soldiers brought with them, and watched in horror as Aglain was felled by a crossbow bolt. Arthur brought her back to Camelot, back to her life of lies and fear. But she learned who she was then, and was grateful to the Druids for their welcome and help.

The village looked much the same today as it had then, with its assemblage of ragged tents and cook fires scattered about in the woods. She stopped a woman holding a small child in her arms and asked where she could find the village elder. The woman tells her that the elder's name is Iseldir, and directs her to a blue tent in the center of the camp. She approaches the tent, and cautiously opened the flap. Inside, she saw an older man in a blue robe, with gray hair framing his face in waves. He is seated on a stool next to a cot where another man lies, asleep. He is wiping the other's forehead with a wet cloth.

"Are you Iseldir?" she asks.

The gray haired man is startled and jerks back from his ministrations, whipping his head around at the unfamiliar voice. "Please wait outside the tent," he answers calmly, gesturing to her to leave.

Morgana drops the flap and backs away. "I'm sorry," she says when the older man comes out of the tent. "I didn't mean to intrude."

"No, that's not it. The man is ill, and I do not want others to catch his disease." He studies her closely. "Do I know you?"

"I don't think so."

"Yes, I do know who you are. You're Morgana Pendragon," he says. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to help."

Iseldir walks away from the tent, gesturing to Morgana to follow him. He leads her to the tree stumps surrounding a fire where he had talked to Aurelius the day Emrys left the camp. "Please sit."

Morgana sits on the stump that he indicates. He nods in the direction of a young woman in a red headscarf waiting nearby, and she scurries off. "Help how?"

Morgana takes a deep breath. "I know about the children who have been abducted and that you have sent King Arthur's servant to seek the help of the one called Emrys. I seek him also, and can help him rescue your children."

"Why would you do that, Lady Morgana?" The young woman in the red headscarf returns with two steaming earthenware mugs, offering them to Iseldir and Morgana. "I thought you might like some herb tea after your journey."

She takes the mug and gives the young woman a grateful nod of thanks. "The Druid people were kind to me many years ago, and I have always mourned the losses in the attack that resulted when Arthur came to find me. I want to repay you somehow." The young woman silently kneels to add more wood and tend the fire; she leaves when it is burning steadily. Morgana watches Iseldir's face in the firelight as daylight fades. "Maybe I can help restore your children to you."

Iseldir knows of her visit to the village and the incident in which one of the elders lost his life. Her remorse over her part in his death seems genuine. He realizes that even though Morgana has great power, she has not learned to communicate silently, and couldn't hear his words to the young woman. She also doesn't know who Emrys is; and he is uncertain of her motives in seeking him. Still, he decides not to tell her that Arthur had been here and was now trying to find Merlin. He'll send her in another direction for a clue to find the slave trader herself. Perhaps her assistance, should Emrys fail, would be needed.

"Maybe you can," he says. "They are being held by a slave trader named Jarl. However, we do not know exactly where his stronghold is." Iseldir pauses and takes a sip of his tea. "We hope that Emrys will be able to find him."

"Yes?" Morgana leans forward, eagerly watching Iseldir.

"But should he not, there is another approach that can be taken."

"Do you know where Emrys is now?"

"No, but we are certain that he can be found." Iseldir studies her. "I would suggest that you take the other approach to find the slaver to help Emrys. And find him there."

"How?"

"You must travel south, to seek out a southron warlord named Helios. He's also been known to dabble in the slave trade from time to time. He may know of Jarl and where he may be found."

"And with his information, I'll be able to find Jarl – to, ah, help Emrys."

"Yes, indeed." Iseldir smiles. "You must stay the night, my Lady Morgana, to rest for your journey to the south. Please join me at supper this evening, and we will give you a tent for the night."

She smiles. "Thank you for your hospitality. It is most welcome." She'll head south in the morning. She'll use this Helios to find Jarl and simply wait for Emrys to show up.


	9. Chapter 9

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 9

Arthur follows the map directly to the last Druid village, in eastern Anglia, arriving late in the afternoon. He dismounts from his horse, signaling Leon, Percival and the others to remain as they are. He leaves his sword in its scabbard attached to the saddle, and walks purposefully into the collection of tents. Leon remains in his saddle, but narrows his eyes as he watches the King go into the camp alone and unarmed. It is hard to overcome years of suspicion of the Druids. Despite Arthur's vow to treat the Druids with the respect they deserve, the two knights are uneasy at his fearless entry into the Druid camp.

The Druids must have sensed Arthur's approach, as he is confronted by a group of Druids, hoods over their heads as he penetrates the encampment. One steps forward and pushes the robe hood back, revealing the tired and worn face of an older woman with a neat grey braid hanging over her shoulder. The others stand behind her, silently watching her conversation with the stranger.

"You are King Arthur Pendragon," she greets him with a sad smile.

"You know who I am?" he asks, surprised.

"You are known to us all. You seek the young physician, do you not?"

"Is he here?"

"He was, and we are grateful for his skills as a healer. He was able to help us. But he's gone." She holds her hands out in an open gesture. "He left alone this time."

"To find this Emrys?" Arthur asks.

"Yes. To rescue our children."

"Where was he headed?"

"East, to the coast." The elder who speaks to Arthur tells him, "we have heard of an abandoned castle on a cliff overlooking the eastern sea."

"Do you think that is where Emrys is? Is that where Merlin has gone?"

"Yes."

Arthur pulls out his map, and unrolls it, holding it steady for the Druid. "Show me where you think it is," he commands.

xXx

Arthur and his knights leave the Druid village, following the route the Druid elder had indicated, and stop to make camp after a few hours ride when it gets dark. The road through the forest appears to be lightly traveled. As they rode, every so often, Percival would walk alongside his horse, his eyes focused on the ground, following the hoof prints of a horse bearing a rider that had ridden through sometime in the past few days. The tracks are recent enough that he is confident that they are following Merlin's tracks. The trees start to thin as they near the coast, and the ground levels out.

The next day near noon, they reach the clearing off the side of the road near a stream where Merlin had spent a night. Arthur bends down to feel the ash left behind by a fire that burned there recently. The ash is cold to his touch. He dusts off his hands as he stands, looking around.

Percival says, "there were two of them. Someone joined him here, a woman, I think."

"How can you tell?" Arthur asks.

"I see where a skirt swept the ground."

"How long ago?"

"A day, or two at most."

"We'll find him," Arthur says with relief. "Let's break for lunch, then head out."

xXx

Morgana finds Helios in the complex of caves that the Druids thought he might be using as his headquarters. It is well south of the Forest of Essetir, almost on the border with Tir Mor. She reaches there late in the afternoon, after a hard ride. As she approaches, her horse is surrounded by a group of men in motley armor. One man grabs the reins from her hand. She lets him, saying, "please. I mean you no harm."

He drags her horse behind his to the cave entrance. The men dismount, surrounding her horse. She sits and waits. "I wish to see Helios," she says finally. The man nearest her nods, and reaching up, lifts her from the saddle to the ground. He and another hold her arms, thinking to restrain her. She allows it.

"Helios!" one of the men calls out. "You have a visitor."

Helios stalks out of the cave entrance, a well-muscled dark skinned man, his leather breastplate resting on his shoulders over bare arms, the left covered in a tattoo. He is bald, with a close-cropped mustache and beard. He towers over Morgana, as she stands between two of his men looking up at him with curiosity. "Who are you?"

"I am Morgana Pendragon, a high priestess, and I come seeking an alliance." She smiles. "We can do much for each other."

xXx

Merlin and the girl travel together on his horse. Late in the afternoon, as they are beginning to doze in the saddle, they hear shouts behind them. Merlin looks back and sees a two men galloping toward them. His eyes flash and a tree branch appears in front of the lead rider and sweeps him off his horse. Merlin leaps off the horse, racing around to the front of the horse, holds his head and looks at him with golden eyes and commands, "_come to me when I call. Keep her safe_."

He tells Sandrine, "ride until you are well away and can't hear the bandits. Hide. I will find you." He smacks the horse and it takes off, Sandrine clinging to its back. Merlin turns around to face the bandits. He utters a quick spell to summon the sword of the fallen bandit, and prepares to fight with sword and magic.

"Turn back now, if you value your lives" Merlin shouts. The second rider continues riding toward him, brandishing his sword and bellowing, Merlin raises his hand, palm facing out, stopping the horse in his tracks. The rider is thrown from the horse, impaling himself on his own sword when he hits the ground.

The first man has staggered to his feet, and seeing the his companion's fate, turns and runs back to try to catch his horse and make his escape. Merlin lets him go.

He walks over to the man that he killed, shaking his head sadly, still holding his sword. He calls his horse back to him. Sandrine realizes he has power when the horse carries her back to Merlin. "You have magic, don't you?"

"Yes," Merlin admits, "but no one can know."

"I can keep your secret," Sandrine promises. "Do you think you can overcome this sorcerer?" she asks.

"I dunno. Maybe. But I have to try." He mounts the dead brigand's horse, stowing the sword in its sheath, and they continue on their way.

xXx

Merlin and Sandrine reach the coast, and ride south to try to locate Jarl's hideout, which the Druids thought to be in an abandoned castle. They camp that night just inside the edge of the forest that bordered an apple orchard near the cliffs overlooking the sea. It's dark when they arrive, but the quick fire that Merlin sets brightens and warms the area.

In the morning, they breakfast on apples. As they pass through the orchard, Sandrine spots a tower in the distance, and make their way toward it. They see few signs of activity around it as they near it.

Merlin assumes his disguise as his middle-aged self, with long brown hair and a beard laced with grey. He's ready to seek out Jarl to find what he can about the children of the Druids. He tells Sandrine to ride back into the woods to wait with her horse. He will enter the castle and explore it to see if it is Jarl's stronghold. If he finds the children he will either return with them or send the children to find her.

He tells her, "if I do not return, you must take the children back to the Druid village I told you about. I'm sure that they would welcome you to join them, if you have nowhere else to go. But don't wait for me more than a day."

"Why, what are you planning to do?"

Merlin says, "I need to save the children first, but then I have to face the sorcerer. I will need your help to watch them until I can rejoin you." Sandrine reluctantly nods. Merlin takes the brigand's sword and slips it into his belt. He mounts his horse and rides off to the stronghold.


	10. Chapter 10

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 10

"So, Helios," Morgana says. "Are you certain you can find this Jarl?"

"Oh, yes, my Lady." He pours a goblet of wine from the carafe on the low table between them, and passes it to her. She lifts it in salute with a wary smile. He takes a goblet for himself and returns her toast. Each takes a sip. "I know exactly where his stronghold is."

"Excellent." Morgana smiles. "Emrys will soon be revealed and destroyed. And Arthur will be at my mercy."

"We'll ride at first light," Helios promises. "But now, let us enjoy our meal." He leans back on the cushions, gesturing to his servants to bring in their food.

"After you business is completed with Jarl, my Lady, what of Camelot?"

"If we are successful in our pursuit, Camelot will be mine. The city would welcome me to assume the throne – without Arthur, no one would dare challenge me."

xXx

Following the route indicated on the map by the Druid elder, Arthur and his knights reach the coast and turn south. They had ridden through a section on the road where they found a man lying dead at the side of the road, holding a sword that pierced his body. There appeared to be some sort of a disturbance here, but Percival sees that two horses have continued along the road, heading east, so they continue on following the new tracks. They reach an apple orchard, with a castle visible in the distance. The men pause to eat their fill while Percival explores the woods at the edge of the orchard. He sees where a fire had been lit. The ashes still held a remnant of the warmth of the flames.

"We're close!" he tells Arthur triumphantly. "It's still warm."

"Let's get moving," Arthur commands. "We can catch up to them." He allows himself to smile for the first time in days as he spurs his horse on ahead of his men.

xXx

Merlin makes his way through the gate into the castle courtyard. He dismounts from his horse, tying her to a post near the entrance to the keep. No one challenges him as he enters. He's surprised that there aren't guards posted to protect the keep and its people. The last time he dealt with Jarl, when he bought Arthur as a slave to rescue him, the guards stopped him at the gate. Now, no one approaches. Something feels off here, as if he is expected. He draws the sword as he walks.

His footsteps echo in the dimly lit corridor as he makes his way forward to a doorway straight ahead, brilliantly lit by torches and candles. Cautiously, he approaches the doorway and pauses just at the entry.

Jarl turns around at the sound of his steps, and smiles in welcome of his old customer. "Myrddin. Isn't that what you called yourself?"

"Jarl," Merlin says, walking into the room, lowering his sword. "How kind of you to remember."

"And how did your last acquisition work out?"

Merlin says "like a kick in the head."

"Gave you a hard time, did he?" Jarl smirks.

"Yeah, when the spell wore off. But he is under control now, and safe at home doing his proper job."

"And what are you looking for now?"

Merlin reaches out with his mind to find the Druid children and hears young voices say "_Emrys_!" with a tone of relief.

"_I'm here_," Merlin responds to the voices, clears his throat and says aloud to jarl, "I'm here looking for some children to assist me in making medicines and potions. I find small hands have nimble fingers for this work."

"Yes, of course. I have just the ones," Jarl says, "wait here."

xXx

Jarl leaves the brightly lit room by a side door, one that leads to a back corridor to reach the room with the staircase up to where Malus waits. This is the moment the sorcerer had been waiting for, Jarl realizes. The great Emrys has entered his stronghold alone. When Malus defeats him, Jarl will receive his promised reward of unimaginable riches. He's played his part in stealing the children of the Druids and using them to lure Emrys here. His time has come.

Jarl chuckles to himself as he climbs the steps to the top of the central tower. The man thinks he's fooled us with his 'Myrddin' disguise, but the sorcerer had warned him that Emrys could take any form he wished. No one knew Emrys's true form, he'd said. As he approaches the top of the staircase, Jarl calls out, "he's here."

He doesn't climb all the way to the top; he does not feel altogether comfortable in the sorcerer's presence. There is always the underlying threat, so he keeps his distance. He starts to descend the stairs when he knows that Malus heard him as he gets a response from the sorcerer.

"I know. I can feel his power." Malus calls down, sounding almost gleeful. "He will be destroyed."

Jarl passes through the room with the staircase, and, grabbling a torch, heads down the hall to his own bedchamber to make ready for his departure.

xXx

Arthur and his men enter the castle courtyard through the unattended gate, puzzled by the lack of defenses. "Where is everyone?" Arthur asks, more to himself than to the others.

No one offers an answer, as they have none. They can see no guards, no soldiers or servants bustling about, no signs of the kinds of activity that they've taken for granted in Camelot. The keep is austere, constructed of an aging dull grey stone, and they approach it warily. Percival and Leon run ahead to flank the entrance to the keep as Arthur nears if head on. The door stands open to a dark corridor, with a brightly lit room at the far end. The doorways to rooms on either side are all empty and dark. Arthur slowly walks the length of the corridor, drawn by the light.

Arthur enters the room and sees a middle-aged man standing in the middle of the room, apparently deep in thought, a sword held loosely in his hand. He remembers him – the sorcerer - from his own experience as a slave. "You! Myrddin!" he yells. "Up to your old tricks buying more slaves, are you?"

Merlin spins around, as Arthur stalks forward with his sword outstretched to face the man he knows as Myrddin, the man he thought kept him a slave. Merlin backs away as Arthur advances on him, stumbling over a bench near the side of the room. He falls awkwardly, dropping his sword, and Arthur presses his own sword to his chest, piercing his tunic and drawing blood. Merlin stares up at him, desperate to control the magic that wants to burst free and save his life. He cannot harm Arthur.

"I remember you, Myrddin. You're a sorcerer." Arthur says angrily, looming over Merlin where he had fallen, pinning him with his sword. He calls to the knights who had followed him into the room, gesturing to his prisoner. "Restrain him. Bind his arms and legs."

Merlin is grabbed roughly by the knights and held immobile on the floor. He tries to squirm out of their grasps, but is easily overpowered. His hands are yanked behind his back. Percival takes the thong tying Merlin's hair back and uses it to tie his hands.

As Leon uses Merlin's own belt to bind his ankles together, Merlin gasps, never taking his eyes from Arthur's angry face, "I never meant you any harm. It's jarl you want. He's the slaver. He's the one who kidnapped the children."

"I'll deal with you later," Arthur says, as he leaves the room with the knights looking for Jarl.

Merlin is left on the floor, bound hand and foot. "_Focus, Merlin. You've got to save the children_," he thinks to himself. Merlin struggles against his restraints, testing their strength; then, with a thought as his eyes flash gold, he's free. He cannot stay here. Merlin releases his control over the aging spell, transforming back into himself. His powers have grown, and he no longer really needs the blue potion to reverse the aging spells, although the potion does make it easier. As he scrambles to his feet, he reaches out with his magic to find the children, sensing them all kept together in a room in the dungeons. "_Emrys_," he hears the children's voices call again in his mind. He follows the call along the length of the room to a staircase leading down. He starts to descend. When he reaches the bottom of the staircase, he sees a few guards, sitting at a table with a pitcher in front of them. He watches as one fills the cups of the others, and all enjoy their drink. Silently he mouths a sleep spell and the guards slump over the table; then with the force of his will, he focuses his magic and unlocks the door to the cell where the children are held. "_Run!"_ he commands them through his thoughts. "_Come to me."_ The children run, pounding down the corridor to reach him.

"_Emrys_?" he hears. His smile is jubilant when the children reach him, surround him at the bottom of the steps.

"Please, just call me Merlin," he says.


	11. Chapter 11

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 11

Arthur directs the knights to search the keep and find the slave trader. They prowl the corridors, checking in every room. Finally, Arthur opens the door to a room at the far end of the corridor and sees Jarl in a large bedchamber. He rushes in with his sword drawn.

Jarl sees Arthur, and says, "so, Arthur Pendragon, you escaped from your owner, did you?" Jarl grabs his sword, and lashes out at Arthur.

"You sold me to a sorcerer!" Arthur growls. "He was controlling me." Arthur deflects Jarl's wild swing easily enough with an overhand parry. Both release and step back to prepare to engage.

"He's a sorcerer?" Jarl feigns innocence. The two men circle each other, swords poised. "Maybe. But he didn't create your enchantment. We did. And we can do it again."

Jarl surges forward with an overhand strike. This time, Jarl is focused and precise. He leads his attack vigorously, forcing Arthur into defensive postures. Dimly, Arthur can hear the sounds of swords clashing and grunts of effort and pain behind him as his knights engage Jarl's men. But he trusts their abilities and gives all his attention to his own fight.

Arthur's fury at what the slaver did to him – is doing to children – drives him. He leads Jarl on a defensive dance around the room, letting him tire, easily deflecting his blows. Jarl lacks the skill and stamina that hard training and talent provide. It's only a matter of time. But Arthur keeps a cool head despite his anger, and waits for Jarl to make a mistake. When Jarl does, and leaves him an opening, he easily slips in his blade, and Jarl crumples to the floor, dead. When Jarl's men see him fall, they turn and run.

xXx

The children surround Merlin as they climb the steps together back to the main brightly lit hall.

"Shayna," he says with a broad smile to the young teenaged girl, "it is good to see you again."

"Thank you, Merlin," she answers, giggling at the funny name for Emrys.

"Stay here, all of you. If I do not come back, there are knights from Camelot here who will help you. Let them know that there is a young girl waiting in the forest nearby with a horse. Her name is Sandrine. She will need their help as well. Okay?" Merlin looks around at the children. At their solemn nods, he says, "good."

He walks back to the stool he had tripped over when Arthur advanced on him, grabbing the sword he had dropped earlier, and goes in search of the sorcerer. He knows that Arthur has gone off to deal with Jarl. Now is the time for him to challenge the sorcerer who had stolen the children to summon him here to a final confrontation. Merlin heads back into interior of the castle, through the door that Jarl had used earlier and opens his mind to find the other sorcerer's magic. He senses it, and starts climbing the stairs in the little room, grasping the sword as he climbs. He reaches the top and stands at the closed door, momentarily paralyzed with nerves, questioning as always his own abilities. He reaches out with his magic again and senses the power of the other sorcerer; it is formidable. Merlin's mouth goes dry. He draws in a deep breath and thinks, "_this is it; I must do this_."

With a muttered word and glowing eyes, Merlin blasts the door to the room off of its hinges. Entering, he sees a tall thin man, with lank dark hair standing casually with his back to the window, watching him. Merlin finds his voice, says, "Malus."

The other man steps forward away from the window. "You!? A boy! Who are you?" Malus asks. "Really?"

"I'm nobody."

"You got away with that the first time we met. You're not 'nobody'. You're not just a serving boy." Malus swipes his hand in a wide arc from left to right and Merlin is tossed against the side wall, the sword knocked out of his hand.

Merlin gets to his feet and staggers a few steps before he is knocked back again.

"The Druids were warned to send Emrys, not a mere serving boy, to rescue their children. I know who you are. You are Emrys."

Merlin looks at him with his mouth open, gasping as he tries to catch his breath. "You are pure evil," Merlin spits out. "I cannot let you harm the Druid's children."

"I don't care about the children. They can go," Malus sneers. "They were but a ruse to bring you to me. I will destroy you, Emrys. To prove to all I am the most powerful sorcerer."

As he sits still leaning against the wall Merlin raises his head to stare at the other man. "What does that matter?" he asks, panting.

"The Druids speak of your power in their legends and prophecies, yet you are young and unskilled. You know nothing, Emrys. I have the skill and the knowledge. I should be the one they speak of!" As he speaks he winds his arm around and finally flings a ball of blue green fire at Merlin.

By reflex, Merlin raises his hand, his eyes golden, deflecting the ball of fire, thrusting it back to dissipate in a shower of sparks at the window; at the force of Merlin's reaction the tall man flies backward to the other side of the room, hitting his head on the wall under the window. Merlin gets to his feet and takes a step forward. Malus shakes his head to clear it, and tries to stand. But Merlin's outstretched arm knocks him back down, back against the wall.

Malus lifts his arms above his head, and the window crashes open; he flicks his fingers forward, and the panes shatter in the air from the force of the movement. Shards of glass fly across the room at Merlin. With a sweep of his arm, Merlin scatters them aside. A fierce wind penetrates the room from the open window, swirling around Malus as he rises and strides toward Merlin, capturing him in the maelstrom he had created. He reaches his hands to wrap around Merlin's neck in a strangle hold. Merlin gasps as he feels the other's hands tighten and close off his air. The swirling dust blinds him, as the two men stagger clumsily around the room. Merlin suddenly bends down, pretending to fall, forcing Malus to follow his movement. He reaches into the side of his right boot, and grabs his pocketknife. Rearing up, with Malus's hands still encircling his throat, Merlin stabs the taller man in his abdomen. Malus screeches in surprise and pain, releasing Merlin and his spell.

The whirlwind ceases suddenly. In the calm that follows, Merlin stands tall with his feet spread wide, his back to the entrance to the room. He narrows his eyes, directing their golden power with his left arm outstretched to immobilize the other sorcerer where he stands, facing him. He has his knife in his other hand, also held out in front of him. Then he hesitates, not moving further. He cannot do it. Angry at himself, he struggles to force himself to find the will. He doesn't want to kill, no matter that the other man invited the challenge. It seems so cold-blooded to simply take another's life in this way. He takes a deep breath and a tentative step forward, steeling himself to make the lunge to drive home the blade.

Arthur bursts through the doorway to the tower room and sees Merlin, his hands held awkwardly out in front of his body, one with a small blade, face to face with an older man with a thin face and long lank black hair, who is standing unnaturally still. He sees Merlin take a slow step toward the other man.

"Merlin! What the hell are you doing?" Arthur yells from the doorway.


	12. Chapter 12

The Rivals, Part I

Children of the Druids

Chapter 12

"Merlin! What the hell are you doing?" Arthur shouts, seeing his manservant face to face with a man Arthur assumes is the sorcerer.

At the sound of Arthur's voice, Merlin whips his head around and hastily lowers his hands, his face reflecting his surprise. The other sorcerer moves suddenly with a jerk throughout his body as if released from restraints, and laughs. He flicks his wrist and Merlin is lifted off his feet and slammed backwards to collapse in a heap into the wall opposite. As Arthur walks into the room, Merlin groans and tries to pick his head up, to sit leaning against the wall. Arthur rushes over to hover over him.

"I knew you were too weak to defeat me," Malus snarls.

"Who are you calling 'weak'?" Arthur barks, snapping his head up, drawing his sword and whirling around in one smooth movement, turning his back on Merlin to face the sorcerer. Sword at the ready, Arthur stalks confidently forward to confront the smirking sorcerer in front of him.

Malus swings his gaze away from Merlin to look at Arthur with contempt. He laughs as he watches the foolish and brave king approach. "You will die, you fool," Malus shouts and he raises his hand in a leisurely gesture to start to cant a spell, the words tumbling from his mouth, guttural and cruel.

Behind Arthur's back, Merlin listened to Arthur's bravado, but he's seen the evil intent implicit in Malus's gesture and words. Instinctively, Merlin reacts, his magic stopping Malus from completing his curse, and he _shoves_: his eyes glow with a fierce pure golden light as his arms lift up and forward, his hands held rigid, fingers splayed; he roars a silent scream, "_NO!" _And he shoves the other sorcerer _away_, away from Arthur, away from the tower; away out into the night in a whirl of wind and dust and smoke that appear out of nowhere. Malus vanishes; the dust slowly drifts down into the sudden silence of the chamber.

Arthur stumbles backwards in shock, rubbing his eyes, not sure he can trust what he thinks he saw. The sorcerer is gone, the room empty where the other man had been standing only moments before. He lowers his sword, holding it loose and easy in his hand, and turns to cross the room back to where Merlin sits. Merlin is slumped against the far wall, his eyes closed, slowly lowering his arms.

"Did he just create that whirlwind and disappear?" he asks Merlin, gesturing at the empty room behind him. "Was that Emrys?"

"Huh? What?" Merlin says, looking around. "No."

"He just vanished! He was the sorcerer!" Arthur grabs Merlin's arm and yanks him to his feet. "You were facing him before, on your own. What were you trying to do, you crazy fool?" Arthur demands, shaking him roughly.

"I was trying to save the children of the Druids," Merlin answers, extracting his arm from Arthur's grip.

"By challenging a sorcerer? You don't even have a weapon!"

Merlin quirks a rueful smile, stoops to retrieve his pocketknife, which had fallen when he hit the wall, and shows it to Arthur with a shrug. He bends down again to put the knife back into his boot.

"A pocketknife!" Arthur throws up his hands, and says, "what were you thinking, you idiot!"

Arthur leads the way to head down the stairs and out to the large room where Arthur and his men had left the bearded man bound hand and foot. He looks around in confusion. "Where did he go?"

"Who?" Merlin asks innocently. The children race over and surround him. Arthur's knights stand nearby, to protect them from the others in Jarl's service who might appear.

"There was a sorcerer here, a man with long brown hair and a graying beard; he was tied up. How could he get up and vanish?" Arthur asks.

"Well, he was a sorcerer, wasn't he?" Merlin says, grinning. "The other one did it. You know, disappeared?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Merlin," Arthur says, cuffing his head. "So, who is this Emrys, then? Did you find him?"

"Erm . . . no, he never appeared."

"You never managed to find him, you mean," Arthur laughs. "I told everyone you'd need my help."

Arthur looks at the children who have gathered around Merlin, as if noticing them for the first time. "The children are all safe," Arthur marvels. "How did they get out?"

"I unlocked their cell," Merlin explains. "Where's Jarl?" he asks, looking around as if expecting the slaver to appear and demand payment for the children.

"Jarl's dead. Let's get out of here."

Standing with his arms around the children nearest him, Merlin says, "Arthur, I need to take these children back to their families with the Druids. Please let me have the time."

Arthur shakes his head, says, "We'll all go."

Arthur and the knights retrieve their horses, taking a few additional from the stables. Merlin heads back into the woods to look for Sandrine to bring her to the others. With the help of Arthur's map, they sort out a route to return the children to their villages.

xXx

Morgana and Helios, followed by a few of his men, ride into Jarl's stronghold through the main gate into a deserted courtyard.

"It's awfully quiet," Helios says.

Morgana agrees, "too quiet by far."

They dismount in front of what appears to be a main entrance into a central keep, calling out. A man emerges from the tower, stumbling a bit in inebriation. "You're too late. Your friends left hours ago."

"What friends?" Helios asks.

"Oh, that young king of Camelot and his knights. He killed Jarl and took the children."

Morgana breaks in, "and his servant?"

"You mean the gangly boy?" the man asks. "He was here too. They all left together. Just a few of us left here to fend for ourselves. Nowhere to go."

"Did they find Emrys?" Morgana snaps, trying to interrupt the man's self-pity.

"Who's that?"

"A sorcerer. An older man."

"Yeah. He's gone. Took off in a whirlwind, most likely. He always did like to show off his magic."

Morgana turns to look at Helios, frustration and anger evident in the way she held herself. "So, my dear brother is once again the hero."

Helios snorts. "Let it go, Morgana. We'll have another chance."

"Yes. But I was so close to finding Emrys," she grits out.

"What about us, then?" the man interrupts.

"Come with us," Helios answers. "We always have need of a few good men."

xXx

Arthur is the hero when he and Merlin, along with a few of Camelot's knights, travel from Druid village to village bringing home their children. The Druids are joyful, praising the King with their words and celebrations; their thoughts flying to Emrys in silent thanks.

At the last encampment, in the Forest of Essetir, they leave Shayna and the little boy. Sandrine had no family; she chose to stay here. They say their goodbyes to Emrys and the King, giggling through their clumsy curtsies before running off to join the other young Druids.

The knights are mounted and ready to ride back to Camelot, when Iseldir approaches Arthur to say farewell. Merlin follows him, keeping his thoughts to himself, and rejoins the others from Camelot, mounting his horse to wait for Arthur with the other men.

Arthur reaches out to clasp Iseldir's arm. He clears his throat. "There was once a Druid encampment near Camelot City," Arthur says. "It was the scene of a terrible tragedy many years ago. It should never have happened, and I am sorry for it."

"Yes," Iseldir says, "we know of it. Many died there. It is a sacred place."

Arthur takes a deep breath, nods once. "I want you to know, that if you wish to return and settle there again, the Druid people would be welcome." Arthur nods again, not waiting for a reply. He turns and mounts his horse.

"_Emrys_," Iseldir thinks. "_What just happened_?"

"_Atonement_," Merlin responds, just as silently. His smile grows wide and free and full of hope as he wheels his horse around to follow the others to return home to Camelot.

END


End file.
